Free The Spaniard's Woman - Contemporary Romance by Kat Davidson

not see Gabriel Ortega again. He was like a virus that she had no resistance too. The smartest thing to do was to avoid him.
    It’s kill or cure, Rhianna decided grimly. The discovery that she was no more resistant to him now than she had been during their time together in Spain was a bitter blow.
    Grady was home when she hurried through the door. Dylan had been waiting for her and he shot out of the kitchen to fling himself at Rhianna’s legs, wrapping his chubby arms around them. ‘Where have you been?’ he demanded, voice accusing. ‘We were gonna watch Finding Nemo when I woke up but you were gone!’
    Rhianna stroked a hand over his hair. ‘I know, I’m sorry. I’ve been thinking about something special for us to do. How would you like to go on an adventure?’
    Dylan looked up at her, his face lighting up. ‘A game?’
    ‘Just like a game.’ Rhianna agreed. ‘Why don’t you go and pack up Mr. Snoop and a couple of other toys to take along?’
    His deep brown eyes were round. ‘We’re going away?’
    ‘Just for a little holiday and then we’ll come home again,’ Rhianna said quickly, ‘Would you like a holiday?’
    Dylan nodded enthusiastically, although he didn’t really know what that meant. There hadn’t been a great deal of opportunities for holidays in the past. ‘Holiday!’
    ‘Okay, your job is to pack up your most favorite things to take.’ Rhianna knew she had to keep things casual but exciting. It wouldn’t do to alarm him and he would pick up on her anxiety if she wasn’t careful. ‘Think you can handle it?’
    ‘Yeah!’ Dylan bounded up the stairs and Rhianna sighed with relief. The first hurdle was over.
    Grady came out of his office and raised an eyebrow. ‘Where have you been? Enid told me that you had a visitor this afternoon. I was beginning to get worried.’
    ‘Gabriel was here.’ Rhianna hesitated. She hardly liked to tell Grady that she and Gabriel had spent the better part of two hours in bed together. Apart from anything else, it was just to demoralizing to dwell upon. ‘He... I got him out of the house before he found out about Dylan.’
    Grady cocked an eyebrow. ‘I see. And now?’
    Rhianna took a deep breath. ‘I need a couple of weeks off. I want to take Dylan away for awhile.’
    Grady frowned. ‘You think that Ortega’s going to come back here? Don’t worry about it. If he does, just go upstairs and I’ll send him on his way.’
    Rhianna closed her eyes briefly, trying to envision that scene. Grady would certainly try to defend the citadel but Gabriel knew far too well how to breech it and he would insist on seeing her. ‘He won’t take no for an answer, Grady. My only option is to get away for a while. I thought I’d go and stay with Jenny.’
    Her boss frowned. ‘You can’t just run away. Don’t you think it would be better if you stood your ground and faced him? Send him on his way, Rhianna. You’re a grown woman and you get to chose who you do and don’t have in your life.’
    Unless somebody else decided for her... Grady’s idea sounded good, in theory. Rhianna knew that everything he was saying was true. But the memory of her total surrender that afternoon was a vivid reminder of just how ill equipped she was at standing her ground with Gabriel. And of course there was the issue of Dylan to consider. If Gabriel ever found out about Dylan there was no power on earth that would keep him away.
    ‘I can’t do it Grady,’ she said, her voice subdued. ‘Please understand, I have to take Dylan away for a while. Oh,’ she paused, turning back to face him again, ‘and I told him we were engaged so if you happen to see him...’
    ‘I’ll try not to look surprised,’ Grady agreed sardonically.
    Rhianna ran upstairs, collecting a small suitcase from one of the hall cupboards as she went. She packed automatically, trying to think although it was difficult to focus on what she needed, her thoughts scattered and diffused. It took an almost